A passport is required for entry into Canada, or if you’re a Washington residence a Washington Enhanced Drivers License is acceptable. Visit  www.dol.wa.gov for more information. Obtaining an Enhanced Drivers License may take a few months so don’t put this off.

For children 15 years and younger, you need a passport for flying.  If driving from Seattle to Victoria you can take a the ferry. Proof of citizenship for each child is required (birth certificate, etc). If both birth parents are not traveling, you must have written authorization from the missing parent or proof of custody. Children from other countries must have a passport.

Please verify with travel. Here is another resource https://www.cbp.gov/travel/us-citizens/western-hemisphere-travel-initiative

If you ever had a felony in the US you may be denied entrance into Canada.

British Columbia is Canada’s westernmost province; it is defined by its Pacific coastline and mountain ranges.  British Columbia’s capital is Victoria B.C. and is located on Vancouver Island off the mainland of British Columbia.

Victoria B.C. is located across the water from Vancouver. Because Victoria is located on an island, it is only accessible by boat or plane from Seattle or Vancouver.  Don’t let this scare you!  The journey from either Seattle or Vancouver B.C. to Victoria B.C. is a beautiful trip and there are many options for transportation.

The exchange rate as of (February 2017) is 1 US dollar to $1.32 Canadian dollar.  Or take the Canadian price and multiply it by 0.7656 to get U.S. price. As an example, this means $100 CAN is only $74 USD. For a currency calculator go to www.x-rates.com.

As a best practice you should alert your bank and credit cards that you traveling to Canada.  Ask about exchange fees, some credit cards charge higher fees than others and some cards have zero international fees.

The US dollar is acceptable in Canada, but you will probably not be happy with the exchange rate. Depending on how you book your hotel, you will most likely be quoted in Canadian dollars. For the best exchange rate, use your credit card with no international transaction fees.

Many cell phone carriers have added Canada and Mexico to their data plans. At&t just released a new data package allowing you to use your current data plan for a single low price per day ($10). You will need to set this feature up in advance, but you only have to do it once.

If your carrier has not added Canada, here are a few tips to help keep your cell phone bill down:

Turn your cellar data and data roaming off before you arrive in Canada.  Also, some apps consume more data than others for example: navigation, news, weather, social media, video chatting, and games.  Disable any apps running in the background that you’re not using and avoid streaming.  Disable email settings from push to fetch.  Use Wi-Fi connections when available and track your usage.  We hope this helps!

Victoria B.C. offers fun history, gardens, viewpoints, dining and wildlife.  Once you arrive in downtown Victoria you can get around without a car.  Bring your walking shoes and camera!  If your schedule allows it, spend several extra days enjoying this beautiful city and/or checking out other local Canadian Islands or the San Juan islands off of Seattle.  

Whale watching tours (my #1!), Royal BC Museum (kids will especially like the giant mammoths of the ice age), Butchart Gardens (ranks among the top five gardens on earth and takes a good part of the day), kayaking the harbor, brewery tours, Butterfly Gardens are enjoyed by the kids, walking the Inner Harbor, shopping, art galleries, and scenic sites galore!

There are two nanny services that are recommended by the Fairmont Empress and The Hotel Grand Pacific.  Since it is a small island there are limited options so please book ahead of time.

Nannies On Call

www.nanniesoncall.com

  • 19 years or older
  • In Person Interview
  • A clear Criminal Record Check
  • Current CPR and First Aid certification
  • Childcare resume with two years childcare experience (minimum)
  • Reference letters with direct contact information
  • Driving record
  • Photo identification
  • Legally authorized to work in Canada
  • Nannies with Newborn Experience

Rates:

$14/hr with 4 hour minimum

$35 agency fee

Spoon Full of Sugar Nannies

www.spoonfullofsugarnannies.com

250-881-5785

Rates:

Our hourly childcare rate is $17.00/hour for 1-2 siblings, $1.00/hour more for each additional sibling, and $3.00/hour more for each additional child that is not a sibling.

Traveling To Victoria,BC

Thank you for taking the time to join us for our very important day, and we appreciate you traveling to attend. We are excited to share this weekend with you! Given below is information that may be helpful before you leave home. Victoria B.C. is a beautiful city and we hope you enjoy it as much as we do! We look forward to seeing you soon and once again, thank you for being with us to celebrate our wedding!

Seattle To Victoria,BC

If you’re flying into Seattle you will fly into Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac Airport). There are several options to get from Seattle to Victoria, given below are the most popular; the Victoria Clipper, the Washington State Ferry in Anacortes, and flying.

The website for the Clipper is www.clippervacations.com or call 800-888-2535.   The Clipper website includes reservations for the boat trip to Victoria, choice of many hotels, sightseeing trips, and transportation.  We suggest a round trip purchase to save money.

The Victoria Clippers are some of the world’s fastest catamarans.  The voyage between Seattle and Victoria is less than three hours.  This is a beautiful boat ride with views of the islands, mountains, and ocean: it’s not unusual to see whales, seals, and porpoises.

This passenger-only high-speed boat travels between downtown Seattle and downtown Victoria, with three round-trips daily in the summer.  Victoria is a compact and a walkable city, and a car isn’t necessary for a quick trip.

Clipper Schedule from Seattle to Victoria

Leave Seattle at 7:30 am and arrive Victoria 10:30 am

Leave Seattle at 9:00 am (Monday or Friday Only) and arrive Victoria 11:45 am

Leave Seattle 3:15 pm and arrive Victoria 6:00 pm

(The rehearsal dinner will be starting at 5:30pm on Friday, August 11th for those invited.  If you plan on coming in Friday on the 3:15 ferry (arrives at 6pm) the ferry will arrive after the Rehearsal Dinner start time.  We will be having a cocktail party afterwards starting at 8:30 for those who are arriving late on Friday evening.)

Return Trip Schedule from Victoria to Seattle

Leave Victoria 11:30 am and arrive Seattle 2:15 pm

Leave Victoria 4:30 pm (not available Tue/Wed/Thurs) and arrive Seattle 7:15 pm

Leave Victoria 7:00 pm and arrive Seattle 9:45 pm

Clipper Round Trip Fare

Round trip on the Clipper for one adult for advance purchase is about $159.00 US.  Children pay about 50% of adult fare.  Please verify these prices on the Clipper website.

In the summer months, these boats are very popular and are usually full.  Expect lines for customs and for checking in.  These boats have two levels and seating is first come. If it’s possible, I get an upstairs window seat with a table because the views are often better on the top level.  You can also walk around on the boat and go outside for viewing (a hoodie helps with the wind).

Reservations are REQUIRED in advance for the summer.   Please make your reservation as soon as you can.

The Clipper’s terminal in Victoria is located in downtown Victoria.  The terminal can be walkable to many of the hotels located in downtown Victoria.

No cars are allowed on any of the Clipper’s boats, but if you have a car the Clipper has a parking garage they use about three blocks from the Clipper terminal.  For a discounted price on parking ($10.00 a day), ask for a parking validation when you arrive at the terminal!

The parking garage is called the Bell Street Pier Garage and entrances are on 9 Wall St and 2323 Elliott Ave. and the hours are between 6:00 am to 11:00 pm.  (Warning:  I’ve taken the 7:00 pm ferry home and stopped for a drink and the garage was closed!)

The Clipper Terminal is located at Pier 69, between Pier 70 and the Edgewater Hotel.

Two pieces of luggage are allowed without charge (see the Clipper website for more info).  Your luggage will be checked and stored upon arrive and you will go through security.  Food and drinks are available on the Clipper, or you can bring your own.

See the “Victoria Clipper Promo Code” section below for discount information.

We have been given a 10% discount for our family and friends attending the wedding.  This discount includes your total bill for the Clipper, and this could include your hotel, boat trip, sightseeing activities, etc. Please use the information below to get this discount:

Promo Code:   DAVEANDNICOLE

Deal:   10% off all Clipper products

Good for travel from:   August 10-14, 2017

Use Link:  http://www.clippervacations.com?promotion_code=DAVEANDNICOLE

For information on Washington State Ferry schedules, fares, parking, etc. go to www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries or phone 888-808-7977 or 206-464-6400. 

Washington’s Ferry’s are a lot of fun and are very large boats with ample room for walking and viewing.  Therefore, this is a great option for Children of all ages!  Food and drinks are available or you can bring your own picnic.   

If you’re going beyond Victoria and need a car, or you have a group, and have kids, the Washington State Ferries is a vehicle/passenger ferry and is a good option. The ferry sails between Anacortes, Washington (about a two and ½ hour drive north of Seattle), to Sidney, B.C.

The Anacortes terminal is located at 2100 Ferry Terminal Road Anacortes, WA 98221 and arrives in Sidney B.C.  The terminal in Sidney is called the Swartz Bay Terminal and is located at 11300 Patricia Bay Highway Sidney, BC V8L 3S8.

Sailing Schedule

There are limited daily crossings to Victoria from Anacortes.  Please check the website www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries for summer 2017 schedules.  However, 2016 summer ferry schedule was:

Leave Anacortes 8:25 am and arrive Sidney B.C. 11:05 am

Leave Anacortes 2:50 pm arrive Sidney B.C. 5:00 pm

Leave Sidney B.C. 12:00 pm arrive Anacortes 2:10 pm

Leave Sidney B.C. 5:55 pm arrive Anacortes 8:30 pm

If you Drive a Car onto the Ferry

Vehicle reservations are a requirement in the summer to avoid very long lines and a guarantee you will board.  If you are driving a car, arrive at least 1 hour prior to boarding to reserve your car reservation! 

See the www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries for more information on how to make a vehicle reservation.

After you arrive in Sydney B.C., it will be about a 30 minute drive to downtown Victoria.

If you walk on to the Ferry

If you take the Ferry as a walk-on, it’s helpful to try to travel with limited luggage and luggage with rollers.  You can drive to the Anacortes Ferry Terminal and park your car overnight and walk on to the Ferry for a cheaper travel experience.  The Ferry arrives in Sydney B.C. which is about 20 minutes from downtown Victoria.

There are 1,265 spaces available for parking a car at the Anacortes Terminal and unfortunately these spots cannot be reserved in advance.  Parking at the Anacortes Ferry Terminal will cost about $13 a day.

If you walk onto the ferry and have arrived in Sydney B.C., options to get to downtown Victoria B.C. hotels include:

  • Bus Rt 70 (2.00 Canadian) is a short walk from the Ferry Terminal and takes about 1 hour 12 minutes to downtown Victoria BC (several stops).
  • Taxi (about 60-80 Canadian) and takes about 30 minutes.
  • No Uber service is available in Victoria.

Prices for the Ferry from Anacortes to Victoria

The price to drive a car onto the ferry and for each person within the car is given below:

Adult $38.90

Children under 6 free

Youth (6-18) $19.40

Car (14’ to 22’) and Driver $134

If you are planning to walk on the Ferry, the passenger prices are the same as above. The above prices are for round trip.

The quickest and most scenic way to get between Seattle and Victoria is by floatplane; Kenmore Air offers frequent flights each day from Lake Union in downtown Seattle to Victoria.  Check out the Kenmore website www.kenmoreair.com or 866-435-9524.   This is a beautiful 1 hour flight. However, this is not the cheapest way to go.  A one way flight is about $165.  Enter Seattle/Lake Union to Victoria/Inner Harbor.

The Clipper offers a package that includes a Float Plane one way and the Clipper another way.  That would be fun!  Check the Clipper website if you’re interested.  Float planes are very popular so book your reservation as soon as you can.

There’s also conventional air service between Sea-Tac Airport and Victoria, including nonstops on Alaska Air, Delta and Westjet.  This may be a great option for people traveling from far away since the ferry only runs a few times a day.  Also would suggest this route for coming back to Victoria since the ferry times would miss most East Coast flights.

Vancouver To Victoria,BC

If you’re flying into Vancouver you will fly into Vancouver International Airport (YVR). There are several options to get from Vancouver to Victoria, given below are the most popular; the Canadian ferry, and flying.

The British Columbia Ferry sails from Vancouver to Victoria. For all information on the British Columbia Ferry go to www.bcferries.com, or call 1-888-223-3779.

The British Columbia Ferry departs from Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal at 1 Ferry Causeway, Delta, B.C.  to Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal in Sydney, B.C..  The Swartz Bay Ferry terminal is about 30 minutes to downtown Victoria by car.

The Ferry allows cars and walk on passengers.  If you plan on taking a car, a car reservation is required!  You can make your car reservations on the bcferries.com website.  Foot passengers do not need to make a reservation.

If you are walking onto the ferry or driving, it is recommended to arrive an hour before your sailing timeA car reservation will be forfeited if not claimed 30 minutes prior to sailing!  The estimated driving time from the Vancouver Airport to the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal is about 30 minutes depending on traffic.

Sailing Schedule from Vancouver to Sydney B.C.

The ferry leaves every hour from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.  To look up the sailing schedule on the website, look for the schedule listed under “Metro Vancouver – Vancouver Island Routes” and/or “Vancouver (Tsawwassen) – Victoria (Swartz Bay).”  The sailing time to Sydney B.C. is 1 hour and 35 minutes.

BC Ferry Fares

A fare from the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal to the Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal (one way) is given below:

  • Adult $17.20 Canadian
  • Child 5 to 11 years $8.60 Canadian
  • Children under 5 free
  • A car is about $56.45 Canadian (excludes passengers)

Two pieces of luggage can be checked at no additional cost. Please check the website for additional information on luggage restrictions and costs.  Food is available on the ferry or you can bring on your own.  There is plenty of room to get up and walk around or go out to the decks.  Ferries are a lot of fun for children of all ages.  Get yourself something to drink and enjoy the ride!

Crossing Washington State Boarders

If you are driving from Washington to the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal check the various border crossing times prior to deciding which border to cross at www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca.  We hope this might save you some time.

Options to Travel from Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal to Downtown Victoria if You Walked onto the Ferry

Bus Route 70 (2.00 Canadian) is a short walk from the Ferry Terminal and takes about 1 hour 12 minutes to downtown Victoria BC (several stops)

Taxi (about $60-$80 Canadian) and takes about 29 minutes.

Travel Options from Vancouver Airport to the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal


Travel Options from Vancouver Airport to the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal include; scheduled bus, city bus, rental car and taxi.

Scheduled Bus Service from Vancouver Airport to Downtown Victoria BC Ferry Connector Bus (www.bcfconnector.com, 1-888-788-8840).

The BC Ferry Connector service is a scheduled service from Vancouver Airport to downtown Victoria.   The bus transports you from Vancouver Airport to the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal where you take the ferry to the Swartz Bay Terminal in Sidney B.C. and then the BC Ferries Connector bus transports you about 20 minutes to the downtown Victoria bus terminal.  The bus terminal is located at Capital City Station 721 Douglas Street Victoria, BC.  The bus terminal is located in downtown Victory close to many hotels but check to see if your hotel is within walking distance.  This trip is estimated to be about 3 hours and 40 minutes.

It is recommended to purchase your tickets in advance; these buses fill up fast in the summer.

BC Connector Bus Fares for a one-way trip (does not include Ferry fares) are given below:

  • Adult $55.00 Canadian (with ferry fair about $74.45 Canadian)
  • Child 5-11 $27.50 Canadian
  • 0-4 free (seat subject to availability, you can purchase an additional seat if needed)

Please go to the bcfconnector.com website to validate fares and make reservations.

Another option for a scheduled bus service from Vancouver Airport to Victoria is the Pacific Coach Service (www.pacificcoach.com).

City Bus from Vancouver Airport to Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal

The City Bus is the cheapest way to travel, and the cost is about $11 Canadian.  Give yourself AT LEAST 90 minutes to get from Vancouver Airport to Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal.  Also, allow an hour prior to your sailing time.

  • Take the Sky train (subway) from Vancouver Airport to the Bridgeport Station (takes 45 minutes).  Collect your luggage, and go to level 3.  Purchase a ticket from machines for 1-zone trip from Vancouver Airport to Tsawwassen Ferry.
  • Transfer to Bus 620 at the Bridgeport station to go to Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal.

Rental Car from Vancouver Airport to Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal

Directions from the Vancouver Airport to the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal can be found on the bcferries.com website, and the estimated driving time is about 25 minutes depending on the traffic.

If you are driving a car onto the ferry, see the www.bcferries.com  website for reservation information. A car reservation is required!  A car reservation will be forfeited if not claimed by 30 minutes to sailing.  It is recommended to arrive 1 hour before your sailing time.

 

Taxi from Vancouver Airport to Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal

A taxi from Vancouver Airport to Tsawwassen Terminal is about $75.00 Canadian.

There are several conventional airlines that fly from Vancouver B.C. to Victoria B.C., but if you would like to have a more scenic and adventurous experience consider float planes or helicopters.

 

Commercial Airlines from Vancouver Airport to Victoria

Pacific Coastal Airlines is located at Vancouver’s Airport South Terminal and flies to Victoria Airport (YYJ).  A round trip is about $220.00 Canadian.  Their website is www.pacificcoastal.com.

Air Canada flies from Vancouver Airport (YVR) to Victoria Airport (YYJ).  A round trip flight is about $300.00 Canadian.  Their website is www.aircanada.com.

West Jet flies from Vancouver Airport (YVR) to Victoria Airport (YYJ).  A round trip flight is about $300.00 Canadian.  Their website is www.westjet.com .

 

Float Planes from Vancouver to Victoria

 

 

Harbour Air flies float planes from the Vancouver Harbor Flight Center to the Victoria harbor.  Their website is www.harbourair.com.

Flights leave at least one every hour from 7:00 am to 6:30 pm.  Flights are about $99 Canadian one way.  Luggage restrictions apply to these flights, please check their website.

The Vancouver Harbour Flight Center address is Unit #1, Barrard Landing Vancouver and the address for the Victoria Harbor is 950 Wharf Street Victoria. 

Complimentary shuttle service drops you off at your downtown hotel.

Helicopters from Vancouver to Victoria

Helijet offers helicopter trips from the Vancouver Harbor to Victoria.  The flight is about $285.00 Canadian one way.  Their website is www.helijet.com  or call 1-800-665-0212.

The Vancouver Harbour Flight Center address is Unit #1, Barrard Landing Vancouver and the address for the Victoria Harbor is 950 Wharf Street Victoria.

Complimentary shuttle service drops you off at your downtown hotel.

Transportation Options from Victoria Airport to Downtown Victoria

At the Victoria Airport, rental cars, taxi, YYJ Shuttle and city bus are available to take you to downtown Victoria.

A taxi from the Victoria Airport to downtown Victoria is about $74.44 Canadian and takes about 30 minutes depending on traffic.

The YYJ Airport Shuttle stops at most major hotels in downtown Victoria and runs about every 35 minutes.  A round trip from YYJ to the Grand Pacific Hotel for example, is about $44.00 Canadian.  Their website is www.yyjairportshuttle.com .

The Victoria Airport is served by the BC Transit, for schedule information go to www.bctransit.com or call 250-382-6161.  The fare for Victoria is $5.00 Canadian.  Please note that oversize luggage can be difficult to accommodate on the city buses.